Pipe shapes
In the fascinating world of tobacco pipes, shape is not just an aesthetic trait, but a personal style statement and a crucial factor in the smoking experience.
First and foremost, tobacco pipes are distinguished into straight, half-bent and bent. From these 3 categories come a large number of specific tobacco pipe shapes, each with its own personality and smoking experience.
In this article we will review the main tobacco pipe shapes, but first let's find out the differences between straight, half-bent and bent pipes.
Straight, half-bent and bent pipes: What are the differences?
The first distinction to be made is precisely that between straight, half-bent and bent tobacco pipes.
Certainly a straight tobacco pipe is more practical and suitable for a neophyte than a bent one, because it is easier to clean and, more importantly, less prone to condensation, which prevents you from smoking properly.
A bent weighs less on the teeth, so you can smoke even with your hands busy, but, as just mentioned, it produces condensation more easily as smoke creeps between its curves.
Half-bents represent the middle ground between these two types, except for the Woodstock shape, which can be considered neither straight nor bent.
Let us now delve into the classic tobacco pipe shapes.
Classic pipe shapes
There are 12 classic tobacco pipe shapes: Billiard, Bent, Apple, Pot, Canadian, Dublin, Woodstock, Oval, Lovat, Prince, Bulldog, and Rhodesian. Let's find out the characteristics of each!
Billiard
The Billiard is the most popular and well-known shape, perfect for those approaching slow smoking. Its design is based on the perfect balance and proportion between mouthpiece and shank. By virtue of the angle between head and shank, the smoke passes through a linear path, which prevents condensation, again if the tobacco pipe is smoked correctly.
The cylindrical shape of the head means that the temperature remains constant, which makes this shape very practical and versatile. Just as with other shapes that we will see below, there are many variations of the Billiard. One example is the Chubby version and those with a saddle mouthpiece.
Bent
This is the bent pipe by definition, from which many variations are derived. The advantage of the Bent is in the balance on the teeth, as it prevents them from straining to keep the stove straight.
Of course, this also depends on the weight of the pipe and its distribution throughout the body.
The only disadvantage of the Bent is that it forms condensation more easily because the smoke, as it changes direction, releases heat and cools, creating condensation.
Apple
The Apple is a straight shape and has a round head, although Dunhill has given room for many different interpretations.
Unlike the Billiard, its wall gradually enlarges to half a head. Thus, as the smoking progresses, the thickness of the wall and, consequently, the insulation by the briar increases, decreasing the overheating of the tobacco pipe.
Pot
The Pot is similar to the Billiard, with the difference that it has a stockier head and a more extended stove, thus offering more intense smokes.
Certainly the Pot is a less suitable shape for novices because it requires better temperature control. The combustion, in fact, involves a larger surface area of tobacco and is concentrated in the center of the stove.
Canadian
The Canadian has the same head as the Billiard, with the difference that the stove is oval-shaped, offering a cooler smoke.
Dublin
The Dublin also looks similar to the Billiard, but features a more flared stove, ending in a cone shape. This inevitably causes the walls to overheat. In fact, as the smoke progresses, the tobacco taste becomes more and more intense due to the narrowing of the stove at the bottom.
As with the Pot, the Dublin requires temperature control, so it is not ideal for beginners.
Woodstock
The Woodstock has a sleek appearance, with the stove tilted forward. It is well balanced holding it in the mouth, although having the stove tilted can make lighting less immediate. The stove is tapered, so it heats up rather easily and requires some attention when smoking.
We can consider the Woodstock the most dynamic shape among the classics.
Oval
The Oval, despite being a classic shape, is rather rare, because the oval shape diminishes its ease of ignition. In spite of this, it remains a convenient tobacco pipe, easily stored wherever you want.
Lovat
The Lovat is similar to the Canadian, with the difference that the mouthpiece is saddle-shaped and the shank is round. The shank, being longer, absorbs more smoke.
Prince
The Prince is a perfect shape for short smokes, by virtue of the small stove, although there are larger sized interpretations. Without a shadow of a doubt, one of the most elegant shapes ever. It is somewhat reminiscent of the Apple, but differs in that it has a wider head and a lower stove.
Bulldog
The element that stands out in the Bulldog shape is definitely the square shank, from which it takes its name (the Bulldog breed dog has a square face). The head starts flared like a Dublin and proceeds with a flap, which divides it. A very distinctive shape, typically English.
Rhodesian
Certainly the Rhodesian is reminiscent of the Bulldog, but has one major difference: it can only be half-bent, while straight is only a variation. In addition, the Bulldog has a flared stove, while the Rhodesian has a lower, squat head.
